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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29632056">after the fall</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tearsofachilles/pseuds/tearsofachilles'>tearsofachilles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hannibal (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Caring Hannibal Lecter, First Kiss, Fluff, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Hannibal and Will are secretly in love, Hannibal simps for Will, Hurt Hannibal Lecter, Hurt Will Graham, Love, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Murder Husbands, Not really that much of a secret, Post-Fall (Hannibal), Romantic Fluff, Secret Crush, They literally love each other, Unrequited Love, Will Graham Loves Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter in Cuba, Will Graham is a Mess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:14:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29632056</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tearsofachilles/pseuds/tearsofachilles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fall, Will is badly injured; Hannibal takes care of him, even though he himself is pretty badly beaten up. It's sorta tense, and they share their first kiss.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>after the fall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Wake up, Will," Hannibal muttered, hand gentle and cool upon the sleeping man's cheek. </p><p>Will felt strange, lightheaded as he came to. He tried to sit up, but felt a bolt of pain shoot through his abdomen.<br/>
Hannibal pushed him back to the bed, "Don't. you need your rest." He spoke softly, dipping a cloth into a basin of water resting on the bedside table, "that fall took quite a toll on your ribs". </p><p>Hannibal's own face was badly bruised, cut and reddened with barely healed scrapes. A large swash of purple engulfed one cheekbone. </p><p>"Hannibal, your face—" Will gasped, attempting once more to arise from the sheets. Once more, his companion placed his hand on Will's shoulder. Strong, yet gentle in its force. </p><p>"It's not important. Do not trouble yourself over me," he said with an unusual sternness in his voice, bringing the cloth tenderly to Will's face, "Just a few scrapes; you, my friend, require the attention," he chuckled, breaking his serious demeanor. </p><p>Will, becoming more aware of the pain in his ribs, seeking some distraction, looked about the room. A small, ill-furnished place, filled with the damp smell of mildew. The only light emitted from a rather elegant lamp placed cautiously upon the bedside table. It seemed out of place in such a shabby room, fitted more to the ambiance of the high ceilings and crushed velvet of a parlor. Like Hannibal. The lamp bathed Lecter in gentle light, not dissimilar to the glow of dawn, softening the man's features. Coupled with the wounds Hannibal himself had sustained, the light made him appear almost...vulnerable. This, Will thought to himself for the briefest of moments before a stab of pain brought him back to his damp sheets. </p><p>"Where...are we?" His voice faltered, and he struggled to keep it steady, not wanting Hannibal to see his discomfort. </p><p>"Far from their reach. And we shall not leave until you've healed completely." He followed Will's gaze around the room, "It isn't much, of course. I would have preferred something with less mold, but, under the circumstances, this was the best I could do."</p><p>"Don't worry about it," Will mumbled, rubbing his eyes; what circumstances? His memory was foggy, but he had some distant recollection of a fight. There had been another man, The Dragon. Rubbing harder, he saw Hannibal standing at the edge of a cliff. He remembered embracing him, and then—</p><p>"Do you remember what happened, Will?" Hannibal was looking at him with a softened expression, perhaps detecting his confusion.</p><p>"I—I took you with me." </p><p>He was silent for a long moment, still gazing at Will with tender eyes, before murmuring,<br/>
"You did." His hand pushed aside Will's sweat-soaked curls and began dabbing his forehead, "Why?"</p><p>Will had not expected such a question, although it seemed an obvious query. </p><p>"Couldn't..live... without you.. I guess," He said hesitantly. </p><p>Hannibal nodded slowly, "I assumed. And," he lowered his voice, pausing in his treatment of Will's wounds to lean closer, "nor could I live without you".</p><p>Blood rushed suddenly to Will's cheeks, as Hannibal leaned still further. His hand slipped to Will's chin, guiding it upwards until their mouths moved centimeters apart.</p><p>"Nor could I," he breathed, closing his eyes as he brushed Will's lips with a tender kiss.</p>
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